It was a clear summer night. A group of Java men sat around the campfire, eating buffalo, drinking coffee, and chatting about the day's events.
"Mmmm. Really good buffalo!"
Tongar had killed it earlier that day. Now the whole tribe was enjoying a delicious feast. Everyone admired the strong and swift Tongar. One young lad was especially proud. Tongar was his father.
Billy sat by his father's side, intently chewing the meat off a jawbone. He saw a pair of shapely legs approach and stop in front of him. He looked up. It was Tibia. Billy's jaw dropped.
"Hi Billy. I just wanted to come over and tell your father thanks for the wonderful dinner."
Tongar had a mouthful of food. "Ungh. Tongar no need fanks. The miles on your faces are fank enough."
"Well we're lucky to have you. And if Billy grows up to be half the hunter you are, it wouldn't surprise me if mankind survived well into the 20th century."
Tongar nodded and tore another mouthful of flesh from his bone.
Tibia continued, "I'll let you get back to your meal. I've still got homework to do. Thanks again, Tongar. Bye Billy." She turned and walked away.
Billy shouted, "That's a real pretty loincloth you're wearing, Tibia!" But she was already out of earshot. He turned to his father. "Dad?"
"Ungh?"
"Tomorrow will you teach me to hunt buffalo?"
Tongar patted his mouth with his napkin. "I don't know, son. You really want to? You still pretty small."
"Jesus, Dad, I'm twelve years old now!"
"Yes, you twelve. And Tibia eighteen. You could invent wheel and she still not notice you. Why you not have crush on girl your own age?"
"I don't have a crush on anyone. I just think it's time for me to learn to hunt."
"Okay, then tomorrow I teach you to hunt." Tongar reached into his back pocket and produced a book. He flipped through the pages. "10 o'clock okay with you?"
"Sure! Thanks, Dad!"
After the feast almost everyone got up and began to dance around the fire, singing and chanting the top hits of the day. Billy spotted Tibia seated on a log, with pencil and paper in hand. He walked over and sat down beside her.
"Whatcha doin?"
"Calculus. It's such a drag."
"Yeah, I'll bet." Billy cleared his throat. "I'm going to learn to hunt tomorrow."
Tibia's face brightened. "Oh really? Cool! Your father is really good." She placed a hand on Billy's knee. "I know you'll do wonderfully."
Billy tried not to look directly at the point of contact. He could see it in his peripheral vision. He couldn't actually see any sparks, but he could certainly feel the tingle of some sort of energy entering his body at the knee. As tempted as he was to look directly at her hand, he didn't want to look away from her eyes. Her eyes were truly magical, mesmerizing, and at the moment they held tight to Billy's immortal soul. He was inside her eyes, swimming, drowning, and he didn't want it to end.
"Thanks," Billy said.
"Would you mind if I came and watched?"
"No! I mean, sure, you can watch! It'll be around 10 o'clock, I guess right out there on the plain."
"Cool! And can I bring my boyfriend, Thog?"
"Not so fast, son. Must first have trial run-through before you actually face buffalo."
Billy stood fidgeting. Tibia smiled and waved at him. Thog made a thumbs-up gesture.
"Now, watch me." Tongar planted his feet firmly. "First you must have correct stance, like this. Posture very important."
Billy nodded. Tongar drew the spear back over his right shoulder.
"Then hold spear like so. Then throw at buffalo, or prairie dog, or whatever." He went through the motion. "See?"
Billy stared blankly. "Uh, where's the buffalo?"
"It's over there," Tongar pointed, "where I just threw spear."
"But you've still got the spear."
Tongar sighed. "You want to chase down spear? I'll throw spear."
Billy scratched his head. "No, that's okay. I'm ready now."
Tongar handed him the spear. "Okay, now remember, plant feet."
Billy planted his feet. He gripped the spear firmly in his right hand. He looked out at the field ahead of him, and tried to envision a buffalo. He took a deep breath, drew back the spear, and with a mighty grunt thrust it forward with all his might. His heart sank as he watched it tumble end over end, bouncing off the ground once and coming to a stop about 20 yards in front of him.
"Har!" Thog shouted. "You throw like girl!"
Tibia hit Thog on the bicep.
"It just slipped," Billy shouted. He jogged over and retrieved the spear.
"Your motion too tense," Tongar said. "You not follow through. Just relax and take it smooth."
"Okay, I can sorta see it in my head. It's just a matter of teaching my body. I'll get it." He returned, planted his feet again, and drew back his arm.
"You can do it, Billy!" Tibia shouted.
Billy swallowed hard, and threw the spear. It tumbled end over end, bouncing once and coming to rest about 18 yards ahead of him.
"Har har!" Thog yelled. "You throw like my grandma!"
Tibia punched him in the bicep.
"Damned wind shear," Billy shouted.
"Hey, watch language, boy," Tongar scolded.
"Sorry, Dad. Uh, can we maybe take a break for a few minutes?"
"Break? We just get started."
"Yeah, I know, but I don't feel so good."
"Don't feel so good?"
"My stomach hurts. I'd rather try this again later."
"Har!" Thog shouted. "Stomach probably empty! You keep chasing away buffalo!"
"I've got to go. Sorry, Dad. I'll try again later." Billy turned and ran off toward the cave.
Tibia scowled. "Thog, you Neanderthal!"
"What I say? Tell me what I say?"
Tibia walked away.
"Hey!" Thog shouted. "Ho! Hey! Ho!"
Thog walked over and picked up the spear. He examined it. He balanced it in his hand. He set it back down.
"Tongar?"
"Ungh?"
"When you finish with Billy, will you teach me to hunt?"
Billy sat on his bed and stared at his blank cave wall. The contours of a rock formation seemed to take on the appearance of a buffalo. Or perhaps a prairie dog. Whatever. He imagined his own image on the wall. He pictured himself back out in the field, with the spear in his hand. A cool breeze drifted across the plains. The bold blue sky was spotted with white, fluffy clouds. About 40 yards in front of him was the buffalo. Or, no... wait, was it Thog?
"You can do it, Billy," Tibia shouted.
Billy walked over and touched the rock formation.
"Billy," Tibia knocked on his door. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, thanks."
"Is it okay if I come in?"
"I guess so. Just make sure you don't touch the wall."
Over the course of the day, it seemed that the entire tribe filtered through Tongar's cave into Billy's bedroom. Billy had to repeat the same basic spiel over and over.
"I was just having trouble visualizing the hunting process, so I thought perhaps if I were to create some images it might help."
"This incredible!"
"It capture the essence and majesty!"
"It seem to breathe!"
"The colors are so lifelike!"
"Me want one for our cave, George."
"Me may not know primitive cave art, but me know what me like."
"It really is beautiful, Billy."
"Thanks," he replied.
Tibia and Thog sat on Billy's bed while he dabbed at another wall with a brush. "It's just totally cool that you've invented a whole new means of creative expression!"
Thog nodded in agreement. He pointed. "What that cigar-shaped object in top corner?"
"Oh, that's one of those chariots of the gods."
"Ungh. Need more silver."
"You know, Billy, with this talent of yours, you're going to have to beat the girls off with a club. Most women really dig the artsy-type."
Billy was painting a starry night. "Well right now there's only one girl I'd be interested in impressing, and she doesn't even know I'm alive." He rubbed his ear.
"Really? That's too bad, because my 14-year-old identical cousin Fibula is due to cross over the Bering Strait any day now, and I just know she'd love you."